Philipp Grubauer has found a different kind of routine away from the ice, and it says plenty about the way he’s wired. At the Seattle brewery where he’s now a partner, the Kraken goalie isn’t just showing up for appearances. He’s been behind the scenes, cleaning up and washing dishes, and on a recent visit he spent a few hours working before anyone in the room realized who was doing the job.
“I was doing everything and then I had a couple of people walk up and be like, ‘Oh Philipp Grubauer!’ and I'm like, ‘Yeah, that's me’,” Grubauer said.
“So, l think I catch a couple of people off guard a little bit. Which is kind of funny and then I have a great conversation and that's why I love it.
Hanging out and you get to meet so many new people and kind of hear their stories. So, it's kind of unique.”
That fit seems to come naturally for Grubauer, who likes the chance to meet people, listen to their stories and connect with the community he’s made home. It’s a different rhythm from life in goal, where the job is built around constant preparation for the next shot, the next game and the next challenge.
On the ice, Grubauer has been building on the rebound he put together last season. He’s gone from a goalie who once carried the Kraken through their biggest playoff wins and then hit tough stretches afterward to someone who is again giving Seattle dependable minutes alongside Joey Daccord. He has opened this season right where he left off, especially during a surprisingly successful Kraken road trip.
He won his first two starts on that trip and then picked up a point in an overtime loss Thursday night, helping keep Seattle in games that at one point looked like they were slipping away.
That theme showed up in Detroit last week, when Grubauer stopped 17 shots in the first period of the road trip opener. Even then, he brushed aside any urge to make it about himself.
“Sometimes those games happen, right? It's not ideal because we want to put pressure on them and play in their zone.
Versus them in our zone. But sometimes that's what happens.
I don't think they had too many crazy chances there in the first. Guys made it easy in front of me.”
In Other News...
Canadiens Face A Josh Anderson Decision That Could Shape Their Next Move
The Krakens season could soon force an uncomfortable accounting of where the roster stands and where it is headed. As the standings tighten, Seattle is among the teams to watch for possible deadline decisions, and the names coming up are not fringe pieces. Vince Dunn and Jared McCann have both been central to the clubs recent identity, which is why any talk about moving on from them would say as much about the bigger picture as it does about the present chase.
If Seattle slips further from the playoff race, the conversation around those veterans gets even louder because it is tied to the teams long-term timeline. Both players would be 31 in the first season of their next contracts, a detail that makes any new commitment a tougher call for a front office trying to balance immediate competitiveness with what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Showed Real Fight In A Loss That Still Feels Different
The Kraken left Tampa with a result they did not want, but the way they got there looked a lot more like the kind of game they can build on. Seattle got goals from Jared McCann, Ryan Winterton and Matty Beniers, got a power-play marker of its own, and spent long stretches matching the Lightnings pace in a game where Vince Dunn logged the most ice time and the team generally looked engaged from start to finish.
Philipp Grubauer saw plenty of action, stopping 35 shots for an .886 save percentage, and Seattles special teams gave it a chance to stay in the fight by killing off all three Tampa Bay power plays. The road trip rolls on against the Florida Panthers, and the bigger question for the Kraken is whether this was just a competitive night in a loss or the start of something sturdier away from home. [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Prospects Face An Early Test Despite An Encouraging Start
The Coachella Valley Firebirds opened their 2026-27 AHL season the right way with a win over the San Diego Gulls, and there were encouraging signs for the Seattle Krakens prospects right away. The clubs early offense has been lively, and the start also featured a milestone for Nikke Kokko in goal, giving the organization a few reasons to feel good about how the group came out of camp.
Since then, though, the first stretch of the season has turned a little less comfortable, with three straight losses and a first regulation defeat against the Henderson Silver Knights. Tyson Jugnauth has still been a bright spot from the blue line, leading the Firebirds in points with eight assists before his streak was snapped in the shutout loss, but the recent skid is a reminder that the prospects are already facing an early test in the AHL grind. [Read more 🡒]